About us

This course is designed for beginner or returning meditators. Contentment in Everyday Life can be taken as a follow up to Meditation in Everyday Life and Shambhala Training Weekend I, but participation in these programs is not required. “Contentment” is the second course in the Shambhala Training class series and can serve as a companion course for the Shambhala Training Weekend II retreat.

“Spirituality doesn't exist on another level different from ordinary life."

- Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Founder of the Shambhala Tradition

About Contentment in Everyday Life

We all experience thoughts or feelings of inadequacy, that nagging sense that we're just not good enough. This atmosphere of self-judgement can build until there's a palpable tension between our basic sense of self-worth and who we think we "should" be.

Insecurities may always arise, but when we interpret these thoughts and feelings as cold hard facts to be acted upon, dissatisfaction devours our time and energy, and life becomes a chore.

By letting go of the struggle to be something "better," we can make space for our inherently intelligent, compassionate, and strong nature to flourish.

Details on Contentment in Everyday Life

In this course, students will continue to learn basic mindfulness meditation and receive the Shambhala Contentment Contemplation to study and practice. In addition, the four class course offers instruction on the following topics:

Class 1: Making Friends With Ourselves

Class 2: Resting in the Present Moment

Class 3: Meeting Obstacles with Patience

Class 4: Working With Strong Emotions

Throughout the course, we will deepen our comfort with our natural state of being to feel a simple worthiness that makes life less forced and more enjoyable.

About Shambhala Training

Contentment in Everyday Life is the first class in Shambhala Training, a complete path of weekly classes and weekend retreats that provides a comprehensive overview of mindfulness and contemplative meditation techniques.

Shambhala Training presents profound, simple and incredibly relevant teachings on how we can bring our meditation practice into every facet of daily life.

Generosity Policy

Our Generosity Policy helps make programming available to all those who wish to participate. To utilize the Generosity Policy, please call the Registrar at 212-675-6544. We cannot accept Generosity Policy registrations at the door, so please make arrangements in advance.

About the
Venue

For over 40 years, the Shambhala Meditation Center has offered New Yorkers the opportunity to work with their minds and hearts through meditation. Our mission is to inspire an awake and compassionate society through personal and collective transformation.We offer meditation classes, mindfulness workshops, urban retreats, and a wide range of teachings from the Shambhala tradition.In addition, we offer Shambhala Training, a comprehensive curriculum of meditation and emotional intelligence education, rooted in ancient wisdom and designed for the challenges of modern, everyday existence. This secular path of study and practice is suitable for all levels of experience and open to people of all faiths.

$175 Patron, $145 General, $115 Members

Thank you!

Why Retreat?

We asked people why they go on retreat, here's what they said:

To fix me and therefore fix the world.
Rogers

Retreat Guru's Vision

We believe human beings are innately wise, strong and kind. This wisdom, although not always experienced, is always present. Going on retreat is a beautiful way to reconnect to our basic sanity and health. Our aspiration at Retreat Guru is to inspire people to experience authentic retreats and reconnect with their innate wisdom, strength and kindness.